2000s Recipes + Menus

Black Sesame Seed Peanut Butter Cookies

Makesabout 4 dozen cookies
  • Active time:20 min
  • Start to finish:45 min
March 2009
Peanut butter cookies are everyone’s favorite after-school snack, but rolling them in nutty black sesame seeds really dresses them up. Not only do the sesame seeds (left over from Mandarin Orange Ice Cream with Sesame Brittle) look sharp, they add an extra, more delicate nuttiness. The cookies themselves are based on reader Amy Fritch’s recipe. Her flourless peanut butter cookies have long been a favorite among the Gourmet staff.
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 5 tablespoons black sesame seeds
  • Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
  • Beat together peanut butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until combined well, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and baking soda until combined well.
  • Place sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Roll level teaspoons of dough into balls, then roll in seeds to coat. Arrange balls about 1 inch apart on 2 ungreased baking sheets.
  • Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through, until puffed and cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool.
Cooks’ note: Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.
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